Inseparable
by HaloFin17
Summary: No matter how this all ends, we simply can't have Loki without Thor. Or Thor without Loki. A brief glimpse into two possible outcomes for the Asgardian princes, skipping ahead to the end of Avengers Four. Written post-IW. Enjoy!
1. Part 1: In Life

**Summary:** Whether in life or in death, we simply can't have Loki without Thor. Or Thor without Loki. A brief glimpse into two possible outcomes for the Asgardian princes, skipping ahead to the end of Avengers Four. Written post-IW. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** No ownership or profit, I promise!

 **Author's Note:** A very big "Thank you!" must go out to all readers & reviewers for your positive response to my last IW fic "Mementos We Keep." Your feedback has helped prompt this little two-shot, and I appreciate it! As you'll see, this doesn't deal with the details of _how_ the Avengers beat Thanos, because that's not the point. The point is reuniting my favorite brothers, by any means necessary.

 **Part 1: Inseparable in Life**

They had done it! It was a desperate ploy, gambling with Time the way they did. The risks had been astronomical, and the planning excruciating. And yet, they had managed to undo what the Mad Titan had undone. A few days after Thanos' defeat, the Avengers were universally exhausted, still reeling from the exultation of their victory and the abrupt (albeit positive) consequences it had wrought.

Even Thor was weary. He had remained on Earth with his comrades all this time, and his interest was piqued when he suddenly saw Tony walking briskly toward him.

"Thor, buddy, we have incoming," the Man of Iron reported hurriedly. "We think it's the Asgardian refugee ship, with their landing projected somewhere in Scandinavia."

Thor knew _exactly_ where they were headed. Without even pausing to thank his friend, he focused his tired mind once more and flew to the place directly. The huge vessel had already landed when he arrived, with the very first of the refugees exiting down the gangplank. And at their head strode…

"Heimdall!" Thor was so overwhelmed with joy and relief that his knees nearly buckled underneath him. "My friend, I cannot express in words how happy I am to see you!"

The Gatekeeper stared at him strangely with those all-seeing golden eyes, yet he made no comment as he grasped his king's arm in comradeship. More and more Asgardian citizens, with a few rogue Sakaarians intermingled among them, flowed like a steady stream into the daylight. They nodded respectfully to Thor as they passed him, but otherwise gave no indication that anything noteworthy had transpired since Asgard's destruction. No indication that they'd been utterly wiped out in another reality.

Thor's exhausted laughter, almost a giggle, bubbled up through his lips, and _that_ earned him a few curious glances. Not that it mattered, though, when his people were alive and well!

Clapping Heimdall on the shoulder once more, he moved further inside the ship and felt his smile grow with every face he passed. But something was missing; _someone_ was missing. With his heart pounding, Thor left the crowds behind and made his way to the captain's quarters, which he had previously occupied.

Yet just as he reached for the door, an unmistakable voice called out behind him:

"Thor! There you are! Whatever happened to you, Brother? You disappear halfway through the journey, and decide to finally grace us with your presence here at the end? You're damn lucky I'm such a good liar, because I've spent the last five days covering for you. It's not as if I've never done that before, of course, but these people have endured enough without their new king gallivanting off at unawares." Agitation betrayed the worry underlying Loki's little tirade as he moved closer…and all the while Thor just stared at him with mouth agape.

"We barely had enough fuel or supplies to get us here, and somehow even Heimdall lost sight of you after you disappeared. Where in all the Nine Realms were you, Thor? Did you truly miss your eye so much that you ran off questing for a new one? It's not even the right color, you dolt. Allow me…"

The God of Mischief stepped in front of him then, and Thor at once felt the tingle of magic around his right eye. He didn't need a mirror to know his brother had changed its color to match the original.

"There," Loki declared with satisfaction. "Now it's as if nothing ever happened."

 _As if nothing ever happened…_

Loki had no _idea_!

All of Thor's emotions burst forth at once in a gasping, gut-wrenching sob, and he pulled his brother to him without warning. Loki predictably stiffened in surprise; yet he must have sensed that Thor had reached some kind of breaking point, for he actually returned the hold with gentle care while the God of Thunder bawled onto his shoulder.

"Brother, what's going on?" he prompted, concerned in spite of himself. "Are you hurt? Did you lose another hammer? You must tell me."

Thor only shook his head in response, murmuring his sibling's name over and over in amazement. "Loki, Loki, Loki…"

None of this seemed real! Not until he pressed his nose against Loki's pale neck – the same neck Thanos had broken before his eyes – and felt a pulse there. Thor could not hope to restrain his tears after that. His burden had already been _so_ heavy after Ragnarok; to hold his brother like this again after watching his third "death" – it was all too much!

Meanwhile, despite his patience finally wearing thin, Loki still did not push Thor away. Instead, he mildly jabbed, "Really, Brother, you are making quite a spectacle of us. By Odin's beard, you weren't gone very long; you couldn't have missed me _that_ much!"

Thor's shoulders only shook harder at those words, leaving the Trickster dumfounded.

"Heimdall?" he tried when he noticed they were no longer alone. The Gatekeeper must have followed Thor. "Do you have any idea what's happened?"

Heimdall regarded the siblings quizzically for a long moment, then replied, "I believe I'm beginning to understand."

Loki allowed a considerable pause before pressing, "Yes? And?"

"I will explain later, if I can," the other answered cryptically with a nod at Thor. "Right now, just know that he needs you."

 **Author's End Note:** Part 2 is drafted on paper in a bunch of scribbles, but it still needs to be typed, edited, etc. See you on the other side!


	2. Part 2: In Death

**Summary:** Whether in life or in death, we simply can't have Loki without Thor. Or Thor without Loki. A brief glimpse into two possible outcomes for the Asgardian princes, skipping ahead to the end of Avengers Four. Written post-IW. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** No ownership or profit, I promise!

 **Author's Note:** Thanks so much for all the encouraging responses so far! However, I should probably clarify here that this next chapter is not a continuation of Part 1, but rather a glimpse of a separate outcome altogether, as the summary indicates. Either option would be fine with me, as long as the brothers can ultimately stay together in the end – alive or dead. Enjoy!

 **Part 2: Inseparable in Death**

It was over! The Storm-breaker axe was broken, but Thor's blow had struck true – to the _head_ this time – and Thanos was dead. All could be set right now, with a little help from the Strange wizard and the Time Stone…but not for Thor. To get close enough to destroy Thanos had cost the Thunderer dearly, and he now lay unmoving amongst the rubble. His vision was already darkening around the edges.

"Thor! Stay with me, big guy, you're gonna be all right; but you have to hang in there, okay? Just stay awake and keep breathing!"

But the good Captain's voice already sounded so far away, as though coming to him through muddied waters rather than from directly at his side. It all faded…the lights, the noise…until another fuzzy picture gradually began to take shape around him.

He was lying in a verdant field, full of gentle breezes and warm sunshine. Yet he was still in pain, and the echoes of Rogers' worried voice lingered in his ears.

"Thor…?"

"…Thor?"

"Thor…?"

"…Thor?"

"Thor…?"

"...Brother?"

The voices slurred together, and not until the last address did he realize they were different. Thor knew Rogers to be on his right; he turned his head to the left, and all the breath in his lungs escaped in a single utterance.

"Loki…"

The God of Mischief stood a few scant paces away, looking more relaxed and healthy than Thor had seen him in a long, long time.

Loki smiled, the expression soft yet not as playful as his wont. "I was wondering how long it would take you to get here. They are waiting for you, Thor Odinson; all of Valhalla is waiting."

Now Thor understood where he was – walking a tightrope between life and death. Mustering his last remnant of strength, he raised one hand and stretched it pleadingly toward his brother. Loki understood but shook his head.

"I cannot help you, Thor. This is a journey everyone must take alone."

The Thunderer had no voice to reply, when a sharp stab of agony suddenly spiked through his head, and the voices of the Avengers grew clearer in his ears.

"Do it again, Bruce, I think he's coming around…"

Were they using some kind of medicinal drug to revive him, such as he had seen used on lesser, weaker beings? Cold tears trailed from the corners of his eyes when Loki's figure became distant and distorted. He didn't want to lose his little brother again – not when he had already come this far! But the pain pulling him back to life was overwhelming, and he didn't know how long he could resist it.

Somehow, Loki's words cut through the din. "If you want to stay here, Brother, you need to let go. For the first time in your life, stop fighting and _let go._ I promise the pain will stop once you do."

 _How?_ Thor thought desperately, despairing. _How do I let go? You let go, Brother, more than once…teach me how!"_

No answers, no guidance came from the Trickster, and mortal voices swelled around Thor until they threatened to consume him. Voices of friends he knew and loved well.

"Come on, Thor, stay awake…"

"Don't you dare leave now…"

"We need you here, buddy…"

"Come back to us…"

 _But I don't want to go back. I don't want to go…_

"Thor?" Loki still stood there, unmoving and scarcely visible as he witnessed the struggle. "Stay with me, Brother. Please."

That was all it took. Thor closed his eyes, chose his brother, and gave up the fight. He let go by clinging to the one who mattered most. It was surprisingly easy, once he thought of it in that light. He was so very tired, anyway…

The clamoring voices subsided, the pain ceased in an instant, and Thor slowly sat up in the most luscious bed of grass he had ever seen. He could smell the flowers now, too, and hear the birdsongs. Not even Asgard at the peak of summer could compare to a meadow such as this.

Once Thor was standing, Loki could finally move as well. They met in the middle, and Thor immediately reached for his brother's neck out of habit – only to snatch his hand back an instant later as though scalded. Even in death, was he really so dim-witted and insensitive? Had he forgotten what happened the _last_ time someone grasped Loki by the neck?

The Mischief-maker clearly perceived his thoughts. "It's all right, Brother, everything is mended here. See for yourself."

Still smiling, he slowly pulled the other god's hand back to its customary resting place against his nape. Thor's palm met warm, solid flesh – no pulse, strangely, but just as real as Loki's body had ever been in life. The Thunderer's chest ached, and he pulled his brother into an embrace without another word. Loki reciprocated without the slightest fuss, and that, perhaps, was the greatest miracle of all.

Thor felt that surely he should be crying now, with the way his throat had closed and his eyes burned; yet no tears fell. It was as if this place of pristine beauty would not allow them to actually _weep_. Loki pulled away first, and Thor saw the same telltale glimmer in his eyes. The Trickster's easy smile of before had vanished.

"I'm sorry you had to watch me die," he whispered in a voice heavy with regret. "Sorry you had to mourn me yet again…" He shook his head. "I am not worthy of so many tears, Thor."

Very, very gently, Thor gave his neck a little squeeze, and praise the Norns, Loki didn't even flinch! "You have always underestimated your worth, Brother. I would have traded places with you on that ship in a heartbeat."

"But _I_ would not. I didn't have to save your life, you may recall; I could have let him kill you."

"No, no, you couldn't have – and I rather thought that was the point." Such a somber mood could not last long (not here), and Thor's light-hearted smile prompted the return of the Loki's.

"Thor, we are both dead now," his brother chided, teasing. "Is there really any point at all to this conversation?"

"No, I suppose not," conceded Thor, releasing him at last. "So what happens now?"

"Now the God of Thunder takes his rightful place in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever." Loki gestured to the horizon, where gleaming golden rooftops stood dazzling in the sunlight. "I told you the sun would shine on us again – one way or another. This is where you belong now, Thor, and you mustn't keep them waiting any longer. Even here, I expect the Warriors Three have been bored stiff without their fearless leader, and no doubt Mother and Father will want to be the first to welcome you."

 _That's right,_ Thor realized belatedly. Everyone he had lost would be here. Not just Loki, but Odin, Frigga, Heimdall, all his friends…everyone! That thought propelled his feet in the right direction – until he noticed that the space beside him was empty. He turned around.

"Loki?"

There were so many questions hidden in that one word. _Aren't you coming with me? Is this where you belong, too? Were you worthy? Or did you only meet me here because your path lies elsewhere?_

In a suddenly tight voice, he managed aloud, "Please don't leave me again, Brother. Even Valhalla cannot tempt me if you're not there."

Loki's smile only broadened. "No need to be so drastic, Thor." He walked over and gently steered the elder back around with a hand on his elbow. "I didn't want to go there alone, but I promise you – this time, I'm here to stay."

 **Author's End Note:** And there you have it! I wanted this option to reflect the happier ending of "Ragnarok," but even I was surprised when Thor's thoughts started echoing Spiderman. I swear, that wasn't planned in the beginning! And I just made myself cry all over again... I also found it extra heartbreaking that, while Thor and Loki never share an actual hug in the course of five movies, there are plenty of those brotherly "neck grabs" – and then Thanos kills Loki by breaking his neck. My poor bleeding heart may never fully recover. Thanks for reading!


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